♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

Chapter sixteen

Y/N wished to believe that it would be all right, that the Titan would be fine. But, as she spoke, his head cradled in her lap, she realized time was running out, and Eren's body's steam stopped flowing. It had already run out for Jean, but she had only felt a fleeting pang of guilt as a result. He'd been a dreadful person. While she never would have wished his fate on anyone, she would not bother to waste tears or time on his memory.

Eren, on the other hand, was a different matter. She didn't want him to be forgotten. She wished for him to remain with her, alive and well. She wanted to express her gratitude to him. She decided to apologize to him for sending Jean to the castle in the first place by accident. But, as she looked down at him, she realized that her chance to do so was rapidly fading. Eren's breathing was labored, and his eyes were tightly shut, his body visibly in pain. Y/N reached down softly and brushed her fingertips over his face.

Eren's eyes opened when he felt her touch. He looked at her with pure love and said, "You came back." He brushed a strand of Y/N's hair back with his hand.

"Of course I returned," she said, fighting back tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. "I'll never abandon you."

In the tiniest shrug, the titan raised his head. He then let out a sigh. He said, his voice small, "I'm afraid it's my turn to leave."

With a shake of her head, Y/N expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation.  No! she wanted to shout. Fight! Don't give up! Not after all we've been through. It took me so long to find you. Tears started to fall against her best efforts. Eren's head was becoming increasingly heavy in her lap. Her heart was already breaking as she looked down at him. Against all odds, the Titan had revealed her true beauty. He had shown her that being different was fine. He'd shown her that it's okay to be lost, and he'd made her understand how much she needed to be found. She'd discovered that people can surprise you and that things aren't always as they seem. He'd provided her with the one thing she'd always desired: something more. So, where are we now? In her arms, he was now dying.

Y/N bit back a sob as she struggled for words. "Now we're together," she declared. "It'll be perfect, you'll see."

He said, "At least I got to see you one last time." His hand fell from Y/N's hair as he spoke. His eyes were shut. His breathing became slower and then completely stopped.

With another sob, Y/N threw herself over Eren's still body. He was gone. And she had never told him she loved him.

As Eren took his last breath on the terrace above, his staff members were in the midst of a celebration, unaware of what had transpired between their master and Jean. They'd gathered on one of the lower terraces to watch the villagers flee into the forests. Armin's flames blazed brightly, fueled by victory. Mikasa was ticking and tocking at a much faster pace than normal, and Annie had fluffed her feathers. Even the larger pieces of furniture, such as Hange and her long-lost love, moblit, had come out to party.

Armin walked over to Annie and embraced her. The feather duster guffawed seductively. He dipped Annie and said, "We did it. We've won!"  He gasped as he bent forward to kiss her. In his embrace, she had become still and quiet. She wasn't alive anymore. The curse had fully taken place now that the Titan was no longer alive.

The once-animate objects became inanimate one by one. Hange froze in the middle of a dramatic flourish while Armin watched in terror. Moblit started to play his keys, frantically trying to keep them going, after letting out a scream. He couldn't do anything, though. They, too, slowed until they came to a halt, and Moblit remained motionless. The curse swept through the castle like a wind, and no matter how they tried to escape it, the staff could not getaway.